Since biblical times, the sukkah-a temporary shelter celebrating the harvest and commemorating the exodus from Egypt – has served as the symbolic centerpiece of the Jewish festival of Sukkot. Today, revisiting the ritual of building a sukkah offers the opportunity to reimagine historically rooted ways of making, while exploring themes of transience, hospitality, and community. Detroit, home to 1300 urban farms, is also the only UNESCO City of Design in the United States. Sukkah x Detroit celebrates both. By soliciting contemporary sukkah design proposals for Detroit’s Capitol Park, the competition looks to combine design, agriculture, and cultural programming for this first edition of the Sukkah x Detroit event.

Register: JUN/24/2018, Submit: JUN/24/2018, Eligibility: Teams of designers, artists, architects; at least team leader must be born or raised in, or professionally or academically connected to Michigan, Fee: Free, Awards: Stage 1: each finalist team – 2,500 USD stipend to Stage 2; Stage 2: each of the 2 winning teams – 40,000 USD stipend for drawings, fabrication and installation of design

Detroit’s commercial corridors are dominated by vacant storefronts and empty lots, including those adjacent to the strongest, most populated residential neighborhoods. New hope is on the horizon with a City-led public/private partnership initiative intended to expand investment in the public realm, encourage pedestrians, and support existing businesses. Nevertheless, in an uncertain market, and with poor building condition and limited cash flow, many property owners still struggle to re-vitalize their vacant buildings.